ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to identify the significant risk factors that contribute towards postoperative infection in patients recovering from orthognathic surgery. METHODS: Retrospective records of 522 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery over 9 year period were evaluated for postoperative infection within 3 months of surgery and after 3 months of surgery. The variables of interest included age, gender, habits like smoking and alcohol consumption and incidence of postoperative infection. RESULTS: The overall infection rate was 4.60%. Patients who underwent bilateral sagittal split osteotomy to advance the mandible had an infection rate of 10.4%. Statistically significant predictor variables (P < 0.05) included patients who had the smoking habit, and those that received bone grafts in both the time periods. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the occurrence of infection after orthognathic surgery is influenced by multiple factors, among which are the type of osteotomy, smoking habit and bone grafting procedures.
